U.S. President Donald Trump held a high-level meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on today (Wednesday) in Riyadh, ahead of the fifth Gulf-U.S. Summit.
In a statement issued earlier in the day, the White House had confirmed that President Trump would hold a bilateral discussion with President al-Shara prior to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, reports Al-Qabas daily.
During a speech delivered Tuesday in the Saudi capital, Trump announced a significant policy shift, declaring the United States would lift its sanctions on Syria — a move that has drawn international attention.
According to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also participated in the meeting via videoconference.
He welcomed the U.S. decision to lift sanctions on Syria, describing it as a “historic step,” and reaffirmed Turkey’s continued support for Damascus in its ongoing fight against terrorist groups, particularly ISIS.
